Liberia: 'Prioritize Female Journalists Inclusion'

A group of Liberian female journalist under the banner, "Female Journalist Association of Liberia (FeJAL) has called on media executives in the country to equally prioritize building the capacity of female journalists and not only male journalists.

Speaking to The NEWS in Monrovia, FeJAL Coordinator Torwon Sulonteh-Brown said over the years, the representation of female journalists at various media institutions in the country has been low due to the lack of training and capacity building opportunities.

Madam Sulonteh-Brown made the assertion at the ongoing one week leadership training for female senior reporters and producers under the Theme, "Making Media Managers".

She said the training, with funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), aims to empower Liberian female journalists to play a proactive leadership role at the respective institutions.

Madam Sulonteh-Brown indicated that female journalists were equally qualified as compared to their male counterparts, as such, media executives need to now see reason and be more gender sensitive by giving them responsibility to perform.

She said if the Liberian media community must be professionally balanced as compared to other civilized countries around the world, everyone irrespective of gender must be give breathing space to perform.

"Why it is true that some of our colleagues are yet to justify their inclusion in leadership at the various areas of work, especially in the journalism profession, there are equally some men who are not qualified and holding key positions in some institutions,...so to fail this gap, both men and women must be given the same level of training opportunities," the FeJAL coordinator said.

Madam Sulonteh-Brown, a long time female broadcaster hopes that the Press Union of Liberia, the umbrella organization of media institutions in the country, would ensure that the voices of female journalist are heard.

She commended UNESCO for supporting the training and admonished her colleagues to take the training seriously to equip themselves for future challenges.

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